My first pics really did not do the level of detail on these Snap-Kits Justice. So, here are some sharper pics. And I through some Shots of them wearing my custom covers. I did not do a very elabrate job on mine, just dropped some Gung Ho hats in some brown optical dye at work to give them more of an Olive drab Color. Fritzkrieg

Sideshow Collectibles and Hot Toys are proud to bring you the first ever, 1:6 scale Power Loader collectible, produced as a fully-poseable model kit. The Power Loader is large enough to fit a 12-inch figure inside, true to 1:6 scale, and includes an electronic light-up working warning signal light. This highly detailed, highly-articulated model is sure to be the centerpiece of your Aliens collection.

We are pleased to announce that Hot Toys has very generously decided to include a Ripley 1:6th scale model kit with your purchase of the ALIENS Power Loader, at no extra charge! If you have already placed your pre-order for the Power Loader, rest assured that the order has already been updated, and you do not need to take any action.

Please also note that the Ripley kit included with the Power Loader is not the same as the regular, individually packaged release. The Power Loader version of Ripley will not include the jacket, some accessories, or the individual packaging. Final details are TBD.

I have my Aliens case coming in soon... Took me forever to buy. Expensive as sin but that's what credit cards are for I guess. Long-term lay-away. Can't wait though. Wish I could get more Marines on the cheap but for now this'll do. God I hope HT gets more snap kits out.

OUTSTANDING figures... ALl of them. You get 12 figures to a case, so you're getting doubles of two figures. I got one extra Marine and one extra Alien. That's cool I guess but two Marines would've been preferable of course.

The articulation has some limitations, and that is to be expected. These aren't actually toys, they're described as "model kits", however they're bitchin' model kits to-scale to Star Wars figures. The Aliens are BIG hulking figures, the Marines/Ripley are definitely the case's highlight though.

The likenesses are pretty good to the characters, though the Ripley and Hicks figures are questionable... Almost makes you think there was likeness issues involved. The details on the uniforms are outstanding. Every little thing like zippers, pockets, armor buckles, laces on boots, flashlights, ammo, etc., is in there somewhere... Lots of detail.

The Marines you get are an odd mix... Ripley and Hicks make sense as 2 of the only survivors of the movie... You get Sgt. Appone and Cpl. Drake as well though, who if IIRC bite the big one early on during the Marine's exploration of the mining facility. I figured you'd get Vasquez and Bill Paxton's character first, but whatever.

The figures are FRAGILE... At first. I broke a knee joint on Appone and had to do some knee replacement with my extra Marine (I got 2 Drakes). This annoys the ever loving piss out of me, but it's my own fault for not taking the time I needed to, and doing this at home where I had a hot pot to boil water and do this intricately. The figures need hot water to snap most of the joints together, and it's a good idea to loosen the complex knee joint (it's weird) with boiling water. The figures have a knee joint exactly like Bespin Vader's in that it is a self-contained point of articulation that snaps into a calf piece and up into a thigh piece separately. Cool, but it's uber fragile as I noted, and the pin broke on Appone. I think it's made of styrene though, and I'll be able to weld it with the proper adhesive.

The Aliens could use some accessories, especially since you essentially are buying the same figure in various decoes... S ome chest bursters, some face huggers, some eggs. These all would've gone a long way to improving value there. The Marines/Ripley come decked out with ammo though. Hicks especially has a lot of gear.

As noted there's some posing limitations, but not much. These are essentially super poseable figures with lots of well hidden joints. They pop apart easily sometimes (Ripley especially) but the end figure is really something special and they're great for adult collectors. Not so much a kid though.

All I can say now is that I hope I can maybe nab a Marine or two more, and I'd dig another Aliens set... I want Vasquez, a Paul Reiser figure... They could give me Bishop too, he rocks. It'd be cool to get more of the Aliens characters though for sure. I don't know where to go from there though. The Snap Kit design would do well with other film lines like Terminator, Predator (original), Predator 2, etc. I figure if they did AvP, they may go with one of those... And I'm in line to buy. These things rock.

EDIT:

By the way I paid a LOT for these... They're not cheap. But a case of 12 worked out (after shipping) to about $12 a figure... That's not horrid, just not great really... I'd like more Marines but not at the prices I see singles going for, not by a long shot.

Does anyone happen to have any of the Aliens or Predators from Takara's MicroMan line? I can't seem to find these for my life, and I'd like at least an alien... mostly for his accessories, as I cannot find a facehugger or chest burster in the 4" scale...